Under a sky of dust
by DemonButtercup
Summary: The Crimson squad-was it fate that brought them together? Shonen ai warning!
1. Prologue

Hello!!! This is my first Final Fantasy fic, which is probably why it isn't up to much. I got the idea for this when I was on holiday and it wouldn't leave me alone. Other than that, there just aren't enough GipplaxBaralai fics around, and they are just far too cute! Am I right? Of course! Oh yeah, and the reason this is so short is because it's a prologue. Kinda.  
  
Warnings: Shonen Ai implied. I suppose. If you don't like it, you can leave. Now! I really can't write this kind of thing to save my life, so if it really is that bad, you know why!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of it! Only my copy of the game and the guide. Woot! It all belongs to Squaresoft.  
  
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The sun shone down from a flawless blue sky, white heat, burning down mercilessly on anyone or anything in the line of fire. In this case, it shone down on two of the many candidates for the Crimson Squad. A son of Bevelle and a child of the desert. These two stood out, unlike their teammates who all more or less looked like soldiers of Yevon, covered from head to toe in armour, gun in one hand. These soldiers sat at the foot of a cave, looking out onto the endless desert.  
  
A silver haired boy with dark skin, dressed in green, his head was resting on the other's shoulder. His right arm was wrapped up hastily with a bandage, he looked like he could be asleep. The other was just as distinguishable. His blond hair stuck up, his skin tanned from a life of living in the desert. An eye patch covered his right eye, leaving a single twisted eye, the same colour as the sky, to scan the desert. To look at him, he would have been thought to be older than his 16 years. The red armour on his shoulders, the armour of an Al Bhed, the intense look in his eye, and the machine sat between his knees. He wasn't trying to look older, he was being made to.  
  
He was a contradiction to look at; the thought of it almost made him laugh. An Al Bhed recruited by Yevon, the people who condemned the Al Bhed in the first place. Yevon had supplied him and his companion with the machine guns as well. Anywhere else these weapons would have been given the name 'forbidden machina'. But on certain occasions, Yevon found machine to be perfectly acceptable.  
  
He couldn't say anything about this, no matter how much it bothered him. Due to his origins, he probably didn't even have a right to say such a thing.  
  
He looked up at the horizon and saw two figures coming towards them. Although they were still quite a way off, he could still make out the group of people following them. Normally he would have panicked, but as they came closer he noticed the taller figure's limp and knew that these were the people they had been waiting for. He smiled then and turned to gently nudge his friend awake.  
  
"Hey" he said softly, but it didn't seem to do much. Instead his friend tried to bury his face further into his shoulder and said "No...just five more minutes..." he was out of it. Gippal raised an eyebrow and nudged him again, this time speaking louder. "Hey, Their here." The silver haired boy finally opened his eyes then, slowly, the bright surroundings coming into focus.  
  
His face was young, he could have looked younger than Gippal to some, but he was 18 and despite his almost child like features his dark eyes said he had seen too much for one so young. He looked up and gripped Gippal's arm.  
  
"Too bad" he replied "I was just getting comfortable" Gippal smiled. "I can tell." He helped his friend up, being careful of the injury on his right arm. He still looked feverish, it was obvious from the way he hung onto his friend and drew breath sharply. They would need to be careful. Gippal held Baralai up with an arm around his shoulder and they slowly started forward to meet Team A and their two other teammates.  
  
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Haha! Told you it would be short right? Like I said, that was just the beginning, so it was a short one. The next chapter will be up soon ;) 


	2. Attacked

Rar, second chapter is up! It's longer than the first one...but not much. It will get better though, trust me on this ;) Oh yeah, an before anyone gets confused on this, I should point out that the beginning bit was kind of happens later on, so the next bit is set before. Does that make sense? I hope it does. It just came out like that, it wasn't my fault!

Warnings: Shonen Ai implied. I suppose. If you don't like it, you can leave. Now! I really can't write this kind of thing to save my life, so if it really is that bad, you know why!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of it! Only my copy of the game and the guide. It all belongs to Squaresoft.  
  
Amber Dawn: Did all the exclamation marks put you off? Hehe, sorry. But that's just me, I get like that when I'm afraid (like what if everyone hates this?). But I'm glad you were surprised, that really cheered me up ;)  
  
Koko Kung: Hello to you too, and look, I updated, so there is no need to for you to do...whatever it was you were gonna do ;)  


On with the chapter...  
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"We've been ordered to meet with Team A", Nooj stated calmly.  
  
He looked to the rest of his team, fresh from combat. Their adrenaline should still be pulsing through their veins, so they should be fine for a bit of a walk now. If was more than a treck if he was honest, and fighting classed as a rest as far as Nooj was concerned.  
  
Paine was taking a minute out from recording. She wasn't actually allowed to take part in the combat as she was there as a recorder, not a soldier. And yet, there she was with a gun in her hands, thankfully she hadn't fired it.  
  
"Put that down. Now." Nooj ordered, gesturing to the gun in her hand. Paine rolled her eyes and casually chucked the gun to the ground. Already the sandy wind was passing over it, burying it in the dunes. She knelt down by Baralai who was sitting in the hot sand, one hand up in a vain attempt to cover his face. His right arm was stretched out towards Gippal who was trying to stop the bleeding from his injury, wrapping bandage after bandage round the top of his arm. Blood still seeped through.  
  
During their journey across the desert towards Team A's meeting point they had been ambushed. Normally they could have handled a couple of fiends, no problem. But this time the fiends had been humans. None of the team had seen anything like them before, not even Gippal, who obviously knew a thing of two about the desert.  
  
They weren't Al Bhed, although they looked native to the desert. Dressed in rags, scraps of material wrapped round their necks all the way up to their noses, to hide their faces. They were primitive looking, none of the team heard them say anything coherent, neither Spiran, Al Bhed or otherwise, but they screamed enough to make up for it. They had been armed with guns that Nooj had guessed they had taken from other travelers they had killed. Who in their right mind would 'travel' through the desert? Most likely, Al Bhed. They fought like animals too, firing at random as though they didn't know how exactly to use the weapons. While they hadn't been difficult to finish off, they left the team shaken up and a surprisingly well placed bullet in Baralai's arm was enough to slow them down.  
  
Standing among the bodies of the dead, Nooj became impatient. "Come on, we have to go. Now" he turned back to the team. All three of the team looked up at him now even Baralai, who for the past five minutes had been threatening to pass out.  
  
"Give him a minute" Gippal said from his place next to Baralai. He still had hold of his friend's arm. "His had a minute. In fact, he had five of them. We have to get going, there could be more of these guys coming."Nooj snapped as his boot scuffed the side of one of the dead. His lifted his gun up again. "He has a point," Paine said, trying to be reasonable, her concerned gaze drifted from Gippal to Baralai, who in an attempt to sit up straight, had to lean against Gippal. Gippal looked even more concerned at Baralai whispering he was going to be sick. "Just hold on a little while longer, you'll be okay in a minute. I'll look after you" Gippal said, patting Baralai on the shoulder, trying to reassure his friend. He looked up at Nooj, who was looking down on them, a disappointed look past across his face. "Actually," Gippal began, "I don't think there are many of them guys, I've lived in this desert my whole life and I've never seen anything like them. I haven't even heard of them either, figures there aren't many of them right?" His gaze shifted to Baralai, but he still addressed Nooj. "Just...give him a break ok? I think his wound might be infected." Nooj seemed to think on this, then looked Gippal straight in the eye. "Oh yeah, you're an Al Bhed. I forgot, you should know about them types."  
  
He turned around and started in the direction of their destination. "I'm going. Carry him if you have to." He shouted back. Gippal looked down defeated. He could feel Paine and Baralai's eyes on him. "How far is it to the camp again?" Baralai asked Paine. She just shrugged, "between 10 and 15 miles, I think. Come on guys, we can't stay." She got to her feet then, waiting for them to join her. Gippal wasn't looking at her, but nodded slowly anyway, and got up. He avoided Baralai's right arm, but took his left to help him up.  
  
Paine was already ahead of them, when Gippal managed to get Baralai to stand. He gasped at the pain shooting up his arm, he looked to be on the verge of tears. Gippal placed his palm on Baralai's forehead, concerned. "Your boiling", he stated. "Of course he is. We're in the middle of the desert!" Paine called back to them. She was making her way towards Nooj, her recorder out already. Gippal smiled humorously at her back and gritted his teeth. Baralai's teeth shattered as he looked up at Gippal's face, "I'm so cold," he said weakly. "The sooner we find Team A, the better." Gippal replied. That probably wasn't what Baralai wanted to hear, but what else could he say? He put his arm round Baralai's shoulders to steady him, and helped him up the sandy slope towards Paine and Nooj.  
  
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That's chapter 2 out of the way. Or chapter 1, whichever way you want to look at it! Nah, that was pretty boring, but it will get better. I promise;) BTW, I don't hate Nooj or anything, I just can't really see him as anything else other than bossy. Oh well. 


	3. In the sand

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this. Square Enix..you don't know how lucky you are.

Udonluvr7: Aww thank you very much for the compliment!

Koko Kung: Nah, Baralai didn't bleed to death, and I except the pokes. If your still around, I hope you enjoy this (very very late) chapter.

Note: I know I've been neglecting this fic, shame on me. If you feel the need to hit me, please do so!

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Chapter 3: In the sand

They had been walking for what seemed like days. A few t never helped much either. At one point he called out to Nooj "Are we there yet?" and Nooj had turned and given him such a look Gippal had thought he would come down and crack his cheekbone with the end of his rifle. He wouldn't have put it passed him either, he made Gippal nervous as hell, though he would never admit it in a million years. He'd been so notorious in the Crusaders that even Gippal had heard of him. And that was an achievement, considering Gippal had spent his whole life in the desert.

Baralai had just cracked a cute smile at the look on Nooj's face. Nooj and Paine were quite a way ahead, Gippal could have been up there with them, but he was pretty sure that Baralai would pass out at any time. Weather he would pass out because of the fever which seemed to be getting worse by the minute, or by blood loss was anyone's guess.

"I hate Nooj sometimes. Actually, screw the 'sometimes' part, I hate Nooj, period." Gippal stated. Baralai smiled despite himself. 

"I hate Nooj sometimes. Actually, screw the 'sometimes' part, I hate Nooj, period." Gippal stated. Baralai smiled despite himself.

"He must be doing something right, otherwise he wouldn't be here. He was in the Crusaders you know." Baralai added.

"Yeah well, I think he hates me. Probably doesn't like the Al Bhed. It wouldn't surprise me. Most people don't."

"I don't hate you. I like you." This did surprise Gippal.

If he was going to be completely honest he hadn't expected to make many friends in the Crimson squad. Most of the people he had met so far had disliked him purely for the fact that he was an Al Bhed. He had seen the looks he got, and how they all seemed to be giggling and whispering to one another when he was around.

What surprised him even more was the fact that a Yevonite had befriended him. It was the last thing he had expected. When Gippal had first met his team members he had expected Baralai, who was quite obviously a follower of Yevon, to hate him, and yet he had been one of the few people who hadn't been judgmental towards him. Paine, although she didn't talk to anyone, didn't seem to have a problem with him. He could even stretch to say the same for Nooj; he tolerated him at least. He'd liked to have called Baralai his friend, even though they couldn't be more different. He wasn't sure what Baralai would say to that though. Gippal was just thankful he hadn't been put on a team with a bunch of Al Bhed haters.

How long had he been stuck in his own thoughts? He looked at Baralai who was watching him expectantly.

"Are you ok?" he asked breathlessly. He didn't sound too good at all.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry...I was just thinking."_Argh, how embarrassing_. He felt his cheeks heating up. "I was just thinking, out of all the people who could have been nice to me, I didn't expect it would be you. You're from Bevelle right?

"Right" Baralai replied, eyes imporing."So?"

Gippal raised an eyebrow. "Well don't you follow Yevon? Surely, you should have something against the Al Bhed." He watched for an answer, while Baralai kept his eyes forward.

"Yes, I follow Yevon. But that doesn't mean I have to hate you, or that I have something against you-"

Nooj turned round then,"You two should keep it down. Your being far too loud, and we don't want to attract unwanted attention." Nooj shook he head, as thought he was dealing with unruly children, and resumed walking.

"Yes _Sir_." Gippal replied sarcastically, but quietly enough that Nooj didn't hear him. Baralai stifled a giggle. Paine, who had stopped when Nooj did, turned then as well and continued filming. She either hadn't heard the little remark or was letting it drop. Baralai looked at Gippal and Gippal scowled.

"He hates me. He has it in for me, I can tell." Baralai smiled through the fever, his arm bumped Gippal's. "By the way, thanks for sticking up for me when I was hit. I think Nooj would have dragged me across the desert if it wasn't for you." Baralai met Gippal's eye, and he smiled back. "No problem. That's what friends do."

They hadn't spoken for a while, mostly for fear of Nooj turning around again and telling them to shut the hell up. He stalked ahead, as if in a silent rage. Paine followed obediently, seemingly unaware of the little black rain cloud which followed Nooj everywhere. She occasionally looked over her shoulder at the other too, concern painted her pale features. Probably because of Baralai's condition. But she didn't slow down and wait for them, for the same reason that Baralai and Gippal didn't talk to each other.

Baralai had been staring at Gippal for a while now as they walked, he didn't really know why. He was just...unusual to look at. He hadn't seen an Al Bhed before. It confused him, how all these soldiers on the Crimson Squad could hold so much against him, even though they had never seen him before and had probably never seen an Al Bhed in their lives. Baralai saw it the other way. The Al Bhed fascinated him. He had heard through his whole life about how the Al Bhed had refused Yevon's teachings, how it was their fault that Sin existed in the first place. Because they continued to use Machina. They were outcasts, and here were the very people who considered Machina to be evil, using it as though it was their nature.

Nobody had ever told Baralai how similar the Al Bhed were to everyone else in Spira, they were made to sound barbaric sometimes. But they cared about others and they cared about what happened to Spira. Why else would Gippal be here? He smiled at the thought, being on the same team as Gippal didn't disgust him, he wasn't disgusted at the thought of having him as a friend. He felt lucky to have such a friend.

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I have no idea where this is going, so don't ask. Its just...happening.

So, tell me what you think!


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